


Rush of Sugar (and affection)

by sammyspreadyourwings



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Children, DL HalloQueen, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, M/M, Parenthood, Trick or Treating, soft dads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-13 10:02:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21242285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammyspreadyourwings/pseuds/sammyspreadyourwings
Summary: Roger and John deal with the chaos that comes with Halloween and small children.





	Rush of Sugar (and affection)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [deHavilland](https://archiveofourown.org/users/deHavilland/gifts).

> My DL HalloQueen fic for the lovely Havvy. (pls don't yell at me about age inaccuracies).  
Otherwise this is just very soft and the kids are the real stars, but they are original characters. Some mentions of their real ones.  
Enjoy!!

John sighs in relief when he finally finds the bag he had been looking for. He knows the kids are going to want to go out as soon as they finish putting on their costumes.

“Roger!”

“Yeah?”

“How are they?”

“Rhys has his pants on backward, we’re working on it!”

He snorts and bends to pick up the bag, grunting when it’s heavier than he expected. John narrows his eyes and lifts the bag to the counter. Unzipping it reveals not only the first aid kit John had suggested they put in it but what looks like twelve water bottles and three bags of trail mix.

“Roger!”

This time the blond does wander into the kitchen. His hair is clumsily braided, no doubt by Anika, and he’s wearing dark brown leather with a blaster at his side. Apparently meant to look like a cross between Laura Croft and Han Solo.

Roger shrugs, “what? We wanted matching costumes.”

John rolls his eyes, “yes well, is there any reason why you packed for a hiking trip in the Welsh mountainside and not a walk around urban London?”

“I didn’t know what could go wrong,” Roger tilts his head.

“Love, there are convenience stores everywhere. The first aid kit is just for band-aids.”

He looks back up to Roger who is pouting. His arms are crossed and his eyes downcast. John walks over to him and lifts his chin upwards, stealing a quick kiss. Roger smiles slightly, despite clearly wanting to keep pouting.

“I don’t know how to do this,” Roger admits, “I mean you’ve done this trick or treating thing, with Robert and Michael before. Any tips?”

John pats him gently on the cheek, “all you have to do is make sure they get candy, don’t lose them, and they stay safe and happy.”

Roger huffs, “you make it sound so easy.”

“It is,” John laughs.

“Did you have to deal with a meltdown when you didn’t know the difference between Rey and Rose at the store?”

“I picked out the wrong candy,” John shrugs, “apparently gummy worms are lame.”

“I love gummy worms,” Roger gasps.

“Then you’re lame, according to Rhys.”

Roger grabs his chest, “my own son.”

John pecks him on the nose, “why don’t you fill up one of the reusable water bottles while I go change and make sure we have two completely dressed children.”

“They were when I left.”

John raises an eyebrow, “that’s been more than ten seconds.”

Roger waves him away as he turns to open one of the bottles to dump it into their dark gray liter water bottle. He climbs the steps, grimacing when he hears the tale-tell signs of arguing children. As much as he loves his older sons, he is slightly relieved that it’s Ronnie’s weekend with them. Those two are starting to get to the age were “trick or treating is lame.”

He knocks twice on the doorframe Anika and Rhys push away from each other pretending that they haven’t squabbled at all. Anika’s hair has fallen out of her buns and part of Rhys’ costume is scattered on the floor.

They look at each other and then smile at him.

“Hi, Daddy,” Anika smiles brightly.

Clearly, she’s been spending too much time with Roger, that innocent smile is nearly identical.

“Are you two ready?”

“I would be!” Rhys stamps his feet, “but Ani says that my costume is bad.”

John blinks, “why is that?”

“Because! I want to be the _Jedi!”_

“There’s more than one!” Rhys shoots back.

“I thought you wanted to have matching costumes?”

Anika shakes her head, more of her dark brown hair falling loose from her buns. He will have to get Roger up here to fix that.

“No! I wanted to be sim – sim _I _lur – I wanted to be similur.”

John smiles fondly, “where’d you learn that?”

“Uncle Bri! He says I’m very simlur to Papi.”

“Similar,” he corrects gentle, “and did he now?”

He’ll have to ask for the reason behind the comparison lately. John crouches down next to Rhys.

“Well do you want to be a Jedi?”

“I wanna be a ninja.”

John sighs, “dearest, we already have your costume.”

Rhys pouts, and seriously do his kids take after him at all?

“Ninja Jedi.”

John taps his fingers against his thigh before he snaps his finger, “okay.”

“Ani, darling, do you want to go see if Papi will fix your buns?”

Anika nods excitedly before running out of the room, nearly tripping over her Jedi robes.

“I’m gonna get candy!”

John barely stops Rhys from running out after her.

“Ah-ah, we’ve got to get your costume straightened out mister.”

Rhys cocks his hips in a move that’s entirely too Freddie-like. John raises his eyes skyward.

“You’re not dressed.”

“I’ll be ready soon, but let’s make you the best ninja Jedi okay?”

He follows Rhys over to his closet. There are plenty of bright clothes, per Roger’s habit of buying every adorable outfit he finds. John shifts through it while Rhys “helps” by pointing out things that wouldn’t work for his costume. Finally, he finds a vest that looks like it actually belongs to Anika, but it replaces the dark brown one Rhys was originally going to wear.

“Ninjas need masks,” Rhys says, “otherwise they can’t sneak.”

“How about we wrap your scarf around your face?”

Rhys looks thoughtful, biting on his thumb, “will I look cool?”

“The coolest,” he bends down to whisper in his son’s ear, “in fact I think you’ll look cooler than Papi.”

And John doesn’t have to fight with him about wearing something warm.

John leans away at the shriek of excitement, “I’m gonna tell him. Then get candy!”

“Maybe get candy then tell him,” John winks.

He manages to place a quick kiss on Rhys’ head before the boy is off running towards the kitchen. John stands, leaning back to pop his hips before picking up the forgotten lightsabers and belts and heading to his bedroom.

Roger has managed to make a mess in his effort to scrounge up a costume. Apparently, they were supposed to know that they needed to dress up too. John pulls up a picture of Cassian Andor and quickly gets together a drab but utilitarian outfit. It’s passable, and hopefully, it gets his kids’ stamp of approval.

By the time he reenters the kitchen, there are already several candy wrappers scattered on the table. Roger smiles guiltily. John sighs and hands the belts and lightsabers over to the kids. He gives Roger a quick peck on the lips.

“I thought you were going to be sexy Leia,” Roger whispers.

“Maybe later.”

Roger’s eyes darken, “think we can ditch the kids with Bri for the night?”

John snorts, “no, we can’t ditch our kids. It’s mean. Bri has a toddler and infant to take care of. He’ll never get them so sleep with our troublemakers.”

“Oh did you see Bri got Louisa a tiny pumpkin costume,” Roger grins, “she’s such a chubby baby.”

“Aww, don’t tell me you have baby fever, Mr. Deacon-Taylor.”

Roger’s smile softens, “I wouldn’t say no to another one.”

“We’ll talk about it,” John kisses him again.

He ignores the gagging of his children and kisses Roger harder. John has to break the kiss when he feels a set of hands wrap around his legs and tries to push him away from Roger. When he looks down he sees Rhys valiantly struggling, putting his back into even.

“Come on!” Anika shouts, “save the gross stuff until after we get candy.”

Roger bends and lifts Anika up, spinning slightly, “maybe we’re going to eat all of your candy _and _be gross.”

“Papi! No!” Anika screeches.

“Up! Up!” Rhys demands.

John makes an exaggerated groaning noise as he picks Rhys up. His son is certainly growing up, but it’s more height than anything. It’s awkward to rest him on his hip. He lifts one hand to try and smooth out some of the messy blond hair that’s flying everywhere.

“Ready to head out?” John asks Roger.

“Just need to grab the bag and my keys. What about you princess? Ready?”

“I’m not a princess,” Anika crosses her arms, “I’m a _Jedi.”_

“Jedi princess?”

Anika hums, “okay.”

Roger kisses her cheek and swings the bag onto his shoulder. John grabs his keys and tosses him over. It’s only three in the afternoon, but they had planned to get some trick or treating in before meeting Bri, Freddie, and Jim for dinner. At least the kids will have something more than just sugar.

“Oh, it’s cold,” Roger says after locking the door.

“That’s why there are coats already in the car, love.”

“Mm, I knew I married you for a reason.”

John smiles, “and it wasn’t my stunning good looks?”

“That was a bonus.”

Rhys sighs exaggeratedly, very near to one they would get from Brian. Maybe he should stop having Bri and Freddie babysit so much? Maybe they’d finally pick up some of his habits. He thinks about it for a moment. If he had the kids all the time then he and Roger wouldn’t have any time to themselves.

Truly unacceptable.

“You guys are icky. At least Uncle Fred and Uncle Jim try to hide being gross.”

Roger chokes, “do they now?”

John swats at his head, “keep it PG.”

He pouts, “c’mon Deaky, they’re still too young to care about that stuff.”

“Is adult fun gross?” Anika asks with a tilted head.

Roger grimaces.

“Yes, it is,” John says curtly.

* * *

“Anika,” John says tiredly, “why are you kicking rocks?”

His arms are aching from becoming the designated candy carrier. Roger and Rhys are currently working their way down the street at a much faster pace. Rhys having made friends with a group of boys they had been walking with for a bit.

Not that Roger is thrilled with having acquired four more kids to watch while the parents walk closer to John than the chaos ahead of them.

Anika, on the other hand, was clinging tighter and tighter to him the longer the night goes on.”

“They need to be kicked,” she says moodily.

“Ani, is there something the matter?”

She shakes her head and kicks at a rock harder. John crouches down next to her holding on hand on her shoulder.

“Darling, you don’t look like you’re having much fun.”

Anika crosses her arms and shakes her head. He holds in his sigh, and sets the candy bag down on the sidewalk, “what’s wrong, honey?”

“Rhys is stupid.”

John blinks. How can they fight when they haven’t spoken in thirty minutes?

“Your brother isn’t stupid, but why would you say something like that?”

“He’s up there with Papi and his new friends,” Anika says.

“We can walk with them,” John tilts his head.

She shakes her head, “no, I wanta be with Papi and Rhys and not more smelly boys.”

John snorts and then quickly schools his features when Anika’s lips start to wobble.

“Hey now, no need for that. Boys _are _smelly.”

Anika sniffles, “want Papi.”

“Then let’s go get him.”

He scoops Anika with a little more trouble, considering the weight on his arm from the candy. John blows raspberries on her clothed belly. She squeals and squirms, but it doesn’t look like they in water work danger anymore. Anika sneaks into the open part of his jacket.

“Are you cold?”

She shakes her head, “you’re warm.”

John weaves through the tangle of children, catching up to his husband easily. Roger blinks at him in surprise.

“All good?”

Rhys tugs on Roger’s arm, wanting to go to another house.

“Ani wanted you.”

He looks down at Rhys and then back at Anika.

“Take her, I’ll go to the house.”

They swap children with ease, and Anika quickly presses her face into Roger’s neck. Her eyelids dropping.

“I think we’ll do three more houses,” John tells Rhys, “then get dinner, hm?”

Rhys considers it, “do I get macaroni?”

“If the restaurant has it.”

Rhys bites his thumb in thought. John nudges him forward, out of the street.

“Okay, fine.”

“Thank you,” John says.

At least he doesn’t have to deal with a tantrum. A shrill shriek from down the road tells him that another parent hadn’t been so fortunate. Rhys looks down that way and back at him.

“Do you mind sharing some of your candy with Anika since she’s tired?”

“Yeah! Papi says so much sugar is bad for you! Ruins your singing voice.”

John lifts an eyebrow, “that’s what he said?”

“Yeah! And I wanna be the lead singer of Queen when I get older.”

“You might have to fight Uncle Freddie for that one, dearest,” John laughs.

Freddie would get a kick out of it, at least. John hangs back as Rhys knocks on the door. An elderly lady appears only a few moments later holding a bright pink plastic tub filled with hard candies. Thankfully the flavored ones, because John is going to have to steal them while the kids were sleeping so they don’t choke.

“Trick or Treat!” Rhys holds up his tiny skull bucket, “I’m a ninja Jedi! Daddy is a rebel.”

The old lady looks up at him. John waves. She smiles and tosses three of the candy into the bucket.

“What do you say, Rhys,” John reminds as Rhys looks like he’s going to bolt back to the street.

“Thank you!” He says enthusiastically.

* * *

John is relieved to finally get into a building. The wind had been biting at his face all night, and while it isn’t cold, he rather not deal with two children with colds. Roger shifts Ani in his arms, who is still looking more asleep.

“Are they here?” Roger asks.

“Brian messaged about ten minutes ago,” John replies.

He carefully pulls Rhys away from the claw machines.

“I want the octopus!” He whines.

“Maybe after dinner, okay sweetheart?”

Rhys crosses his arms and pouts but otherwise, there is not complain. John looks back to Roger when he hears a loud squeal. Rhys takes off towards where Freddie has stepped into the restaurant’s waiting room.

“Uncle Freddie!”

Freddie picks him up with more effort than John needed and hugs him tightly.

“Guess what my costume is!” Rhys giggles, “come on! It’s really good!”

Freddie tilts his head and hums, “I got it.”

Rhys leans forward excitedly. John smiles despite knowing Freddie is about to tease his son.

“A cowboy?”

“Nooo,” Rhys leans back, “I don’t have the hat!”

“A secret cowboy?”

John laughs.

“Nu-uh! I bet Uncle Jim knows since he’s wayyy cooler.”

Freddie nods, “he is very cool, but I’m a rock star, darling.”

“So is Daddy and Papi.”

Roger snorts, “am I supposed to be offended?”

“Congratulations, love, you’ve made rock music uncool,” John laughs.

Anika wiggles, “wanna see Uncle Freddie.”

She runs over and hugs Freddie’s leg looking up with a pout, “hi, Uncle Freddie!”

“Hello, there.”

John leans into Roger and presses a quick kiss on his cheek. Roger looks nearly as worn out as Ani did a few minutes ago.

“Where do they get their fourth wind,” Roger says, “she was asleep on the way here.”

“They charge quickly,” John shrugs.

Freddie picks up Anika ones Rhys is safely on the ground, looking mildly annoyed that he doesn’t get to get carried. Roger crouches behind him, poking his cheek.

“You get to be a big boy and walk to the table.”

Rhys huffs.

“And you can pick where you sit.”

That gets him to follow Freddie. John offers Roger a hand up, he groans exaggeratedly.

“I aged, like five years tonight,” Roger says, “will you still love me when I’m old?”

“So long as you’re pretty.”

“Oh good, I plan to always be pretty.”

Anika has launched into some story from school. Freddie has always been good with children, John can’t help but watch the way he asks all the proper questions and the right intonation clearly interested in a four-year-old’s babble. Even John struggles with that when he’s heard the story eight times before.

“We could give them to Freddie for a night. Then we’ll get to turn in early. Maybe have a long _uninterrupted bath.”_

“Living on the edge Roger might have to slow down your wild mind.”

Roger swats him and grabs his hand. He kisses the back of John’s palm.

“How many times has Rhys or Anika barged in while you were in the bathroom.”

John lifts a shoulder, “as I said, it’s a wild time.”

They reach the table. Rhys climbing into the spot next to Jim. Anika is placed across from her brother. Clearly, Rhys has stolen Freddie’s spot, but the singer simply takes the seat at the edge of the table. Roger sits next to Freddie and John sandwiches Anika and ends up to a doodling Jimmy.

“Where are Brian and Louisa?”

“Lemmy was having a bit of a meltdown,” Jim replies, “someone dropped a glass behind her, and it spooked her pretty bad.”

John tuts, “poor dear.”

“Uncle Jim! Can you guess what I am?”

Jim looks down at Rhys, who is sitting on his knees instead of his bum. John clears his throat and looks at him. Rhys slowly readjusts his position but doesn’t look any less excited.

“A Jedi?” Jim asks.

“But what _kind _of Jedi?”

“They don’t have ninja Jedi!” Anika calls.

Roger looks over at her, “inside voice,” before returning to his conversation with Freddie.

“Yeah huh!” Rhys shouts back, “they’re just rare.”

“There are no ninjas in Star Wars.”

John can’t argue that there isn’t, but he hasn’t seen any. Rhys tilts his head away.

“Then I’m the first, and that’s really cool. Right Uncle Jim? Daddy?”

“Of course, it is,” Jim nods.

“It’s always good to be unique,” John answers.

Anika looks betrayed for a few minutes before the waitress walks by and gives them both a placemat and crayons. John sighs in relief. Robert and Michael fight, but it isn’t constant bickering. He wonders if it’s because they aren’t both boys. Maybe Brian has the same issue.

“Oh, hello, John, Roger.”

Brian reenters with Louisa carefully cradled to his shoulder. She isn’t wearing the tiny pumpkin outfit Roger had been so enthralled with, but she’s kept the pumpkin hat on. He sits back down keeping her with him.

“How was your outing?”

“Good. Got a good walk in and some candy.”

“We stopped after an hour, it was getting too cold. Jimmy didn’t seem to mind.”

“He can’t really complain,” John replies, “how is Lemmy, heard she got spooked?”

“Had a bit of a cry and I just went ahead and fed her. Let her sleep the rest of it off.”

John grins, “I do the same with Roger.”

“Oy!”

“How did you even hear me?”

“I know when you’re making fun of me,” Roger replies, then sticks out his tongue.

“Tongues in mouths please, where they belong.”

Roger rolls his eyes.

“Gonna get mac n’ cheese,” Rhys bounces in his seat.

He repeats the line in a little more of a sing-song voice. Anika taps on the table in the, admittedly inconsistent, timing with the song. John helps Jimmy not spill his drink on him as he tries to sip it.

“Goooonnna get mac n’ cheese.”

Freddie claps excitedly, “very nice.”

“Yeah! Cause I want to be the lead singer of Queen.”

“But I’m the lead singer of Queen?”

Rhys sends him a very impressive look of challenge. Jim laughs as Freddie mirrors it, slightly more exaggerated than usual.

“Somehow I still feel like the adults are outnumbered,” John sighs.

Brian looks down the table and snorts, “you aren’t wrong.”

* * *

Anika, as always is the hardest to get to sleep. She seems to get more energy the longer the night goes on. Roger has already gone to bed, but John is on his third bedtime story.

“Love,” he says, “I know today was fun, but you have school tomorrow.”

“I don’t have to have it,” she sits up.

John gently pushes her back to the bed, “yes you do.”

“It’s dumb.”

“That’s because you’re so smart,” John replies.

“Can I sleep with you and Papi?”

John turns his head, “you’re getting a little big.”

She burrows deeper in her blankets. John stretches out beside her. He doesn’t ask again and instead starts thinking about a new bassline he’d like to try out for the band once they’re back in the studio.

After the holidays of course.

“Do you like Rhys more than me?”

He blinks.

Anika takes the few seconds he is absorbing the question to start to sniffle. John rubs his thumbs under her eyes.

“I love both of you equally.”

“But Rhys _always _gets more attention,” she huffs.

He can’t deny that Rhys tends to demand more attention, he’s loud and friendly and often getting into mischief. Especially when there are more people around. John pulls Anika to her chest.

“Ani, all you have to do is ask, you know how your brother is.”

She shrugs.

John decides to break the “No Children in Bed” rule and scoops her up to his chest. She tightens her fist into his shirt. The sniffling at least has stopped, which John is glad for, he isn’t quite sure what kind of parenting mess he has gotten himself into this time. The boys all fight for their attention, and John supposes that’s part of the problem. Anika doesn’t have a sister close to her in age.

Roger looks up from the book he is reading, spends a second frowning at John and Anika before scooting over to the other side of the bed. Anika rolls into Roger once she’s laid in bed and burrows into his chest.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?”

She shakes her head. Roger glances at John who mouths _she’s feeling left out. _He climbs into bed and wraps around Anika from behind.

“If Daddy gets your brother tomorrow to take him to football practice, do you want to come with me to the mall?”

Anika nods. John doesn’t know if that is what needs to be done, but maybe separating them for a bit will be helpful. He wants to make her feel better now.

“Papi, can you sing? Daddy read me three stories, so you have to sing four songs.”

“How is that fair?” Roger grumbles.

“Songs are short,” Anika replies.

“Okay. Any special requests, princess?”

Anika shakes her head. She places her ear right on Roger’s chest. Roger, of course, ignores all of the children’s lullabies and chooses some of Queen’s mellower songs. John rolls his eyes but keeps rubbing Anika’s arm. She falls asleep in the second verse. Roger finishes the song and looks over at him.

“We need to figure out how to deal with that,” he whispers.

“We will,” John leans up, “just can’t solve every parenting crisis in a night.”

“Yeah,” Roger pushes up just enough that they can press their lips together, “we did okay tonight though. Didn’t even need the first aid kit.”

“Imagine carrying what you packed before, and a sleepy child.”

“How do they get heavier?” Roger whispers.

Anika squirms on his chest.

“Child physics,” John shrugs.

He gives Roger one more kiss before settling down on his side of the bed. Roger reaches over to hold his hand.

“Goodnight, love,” Roger says through a yawn.

“Night, blondie.”

Roger makes a grumbling complaint but drops off to sleep quickly. John smiles to himself, probably the hundredth smile of the day, his face aches a little bit. He can’t help it, he wants to show the world how very happy he is with his life.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think I've ever written a Joger this long before. So the dynamic is very new to me. Hopefully I did it justice. As always leave your thoughts and comments below or come talk to me on tumblr (or on the DL server!!)


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